Impacts of nitrogen fertilizers and nitrification inhibitors on greenhouse gas emissions from soil
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This thesis investigates the impact of nitrification inhibitors and varying fertilizer rates on greenhouse gas emissions and crop yield in agricultural systems. Fertilized agricultural soils can experience notable losses of nitrogen gases, such as nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) after the application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers. In the Midwest U.S., anhydrous ammonia and urea are common nitrogen sources used in corn cropping systems. Nitrification inhibitors pronitridine and dicyandiamide (DCD) have demonstrated potential to enhance corn grain yield when applied with N fertilizer. The first chapter explores the efficacy of pronitridine in reducing N2O and NH3 emissions from corn fields fertilized with anhydrous ammonia. Results from field trials conducted in Northeast Missouri over two growing seasons indicated that while pronitridine did not significantly reduce cumulative NH3 emissions in both seasons, it lowered N2O emissions from higher fertilizer rates in the 2023 growing season. Grain yield increased with fertilizer rate and the addition of pronitridine. Overall, we found that pronitridine did not affect cumulative N2O and NH3 emissions (outside of 202N fertilizer rate for N2O in 2023) but has the potential to increase grain yield. The second chapter examines the effects of urea fertilizer and DCD on N2O, NH3, carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) in bare soil. Findings revealed that increased fertilizer rates led to higher NH3 emissions, while DCD application had a marginal effect on reducing N2O emissions, with greater reductions observed at higher DCD rates. Our data supports other work concluding DCD has the potential to reduce N2O emissions but highlights the potential for greater reductions through increased DCD rates.
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M.S.